Tractor draft arm support



April 30, 1968 R. F. ENGELMANN 3,330,759

TRACTOR DRAFT ARM SUPPORT Filed Sept. 28, 1966 .Z'NVE'NTOR ROGER EENGELMM United States Patent 0 3,380,759 TRACTGR DRAFT ARM SUPPORT RogerF. Engelrnann, Racine, Wis., assignor to J. I. Case Company, Racine,Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 582,7246 Claims. (Cl. 280-474) This invention relates to a tractor draft armsupport, and, more particularly, it relates to a draft arm support whichcan be set in two different positions for selectively placing thesupport in either a rigid relationship or an articular relationship.

The prior art contains several examples of draft arm supports of theselectable fixed and articular or floating positions. Thus, where it isdesired to have the draft arm connected between a tractor and a trailingimplement, it is common to support the draft arm by a suspension memberwhich can be placed in either a rigid position or an articular positionso that the draft arm itself can either pivot or be fixed with respectto the tractor. This of course is important with regard to the movementof the implement which can then either be retained in a rigid ornon-pivotal position with respect to the tractor, or it can be pivotalwith respect to the tractor. The heretofore known supports for draftarms are relatively complex in both their manufacture and theirrequirements for converting them from the rigid position to the floatingposition. Certain of these prior art supports require telescopingmembers having aligned slots and holes with a pin passing therethroughfor securing the members in the selected one of the two desiredrelations mentioned. Generally, in these constructions, the two sets ofaligned openings must be provided in such alignment and relationship sothat the pin can be manipulated with respect to the Openings for easyinsertion and withdrawal as well as for the desired function ofeffecting either the rigid or articular construction.

Still further, the prior art constructions are not sturdy constructions,and they soon fail to perform their desired function.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a support fora tractor draft arm wherein the support can be readily provided inmanufacture, and it can be readily manipulated to convert the supportbetween a fixed support position and a fioatating support position withrespect to the draft arm. In accomplishing this object, the support issturdy, relatively inexpensive, and capable of long-time service.

Another object of the invention is to provide a draft arm supportwherein the conversion between the rigid position and the floatingposition can be readily and easily accomplished, and it can be readilydetected as to which of the two positions the support is disposed in.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a convertible draftarm support wherein the support is snugly disposed in its rigid positionwith a very minimum of movement between the parts, and the supportretains itself in this firm or snug position. Further, it is significantthat the parts are automatically disposed in the articular position,that is, off a dead-center or self-locking position, when the controlpart is maneuvered to dispose the support in the articular position.This particular feature is accomplished by a camrning action which movesthe parts off the aligned or deadcenter relationship so that thearticular relationship is assured.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading thefollowing description in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the support related to a draft armand having parts thereof broken away and showing a part in a differentposition in dotted lines.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.

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FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the support shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view longitudinally of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but show ing a linkthereof in one position in solid lines and in another position indot-dash lines, and showing the pin in a different rotated position.

It will be understood that the convertible support of this invention isadaptable to a standard type tractor having a draft arm and a lift linkfor supporting and controlling the draft arm. Accordingly, the inventionwill be described in that art. It will further be understood and obviousto one skilled in the art that this invention pertains to the support ofa draft arm 10 which is of a conventional type and is pivotallyconnectable to a tractor (not shown) at the right hand end of the draftarm in FIG. 1, which right hand end is of course broken away. Therefore,the broken away left hand end of the draft arm if), as viewed in PEG. 1,is normally attached to an implement, such as a plow. Thus the draft armcan pivot up and down with respect to the tractor, but it is alsodesired to hold the draft arm 10 against pivotal movement for variouspurposes. Such pivotal connections, arrangements, and functions are verywell known in the art and therefore need not be further describedherein. Also, the support itself, and generally designated 11, isprovided in the art for suspending the draft arm 10 from an elevatedpoint on the tractor, and the draft arm 10 and the support 11 are shownpivotally connected together by a pin 12. Thus the support 11 iscommonly arranged to not only support the arm 16 but to also raise andlower the arm 10 with respect to the level of the tractor, all in acommon and well-known manner.

The novel contribution in this instance is in the sup port 11 which isshown to include the rod 13 which is the piece suspended from thetractor as mentioned. The lower end of the rod 13 then connects to thebifurcated member 14 which in turn connects to the draft arm 10 throughthe link 16 and the pin 12. These parts thus comprise the lift means forthe support of the draft arm 10, as mentioned and as one skilled in theart readily understands.

The bifurcated member 14 supports a pivot pin 17 which pivotallyreceives the link 16. FIG. 2 shows that the link 16 extends intermediatethe draft arm 10 which may therefore be provided with a slot 18 forreception of the link 16, as shown. Thus the lift means 11 and the draftarm 10 are pivotally connected so that the draft arm 19 can pivot up anddown but still be supported in its lowest pivotal position, that is,when the link 16 and member 14 are aligned as shown in FIG. 1.

Thus the member 14 is shown to have an opening 19 which receives the endof the link 16. Also, a lock pin 21 is rotatably mounted on the member14 and extends across the opening 19. The end of the link 16 is providedwith an arcuate surface 22 which snugly mates with the correspondingcurvature or arcuate surface 23 on the central portion of the pin 21.

FIG. 4 shows the mating surfaces 22 and 23 in abutment, and this is soarranged that the link 16 is then secured in the rigid or extendedposition with respect to the member 14. This is therefore the locked orrigid position of the lift means 11, and it secures the draft arm 10fixed or non-pivotal with respect to the tractor, as desired in thatposition.

The pin 21 is rotatable 180 degrees out of the FIG. 4 position and tothe position then shown in FIG. 5. Also, FIG. 1 shows a handle 24connected to the pin 21, and the lower or solid line position of thehandle 24 corresponds with the FIG. 4 position of the pin, and the upperor dotted line position of the handle 24 corresponds with the FIG. 5position of the pin.

In the unlatched or dotted line position of the handle 24, the handleabuts a stop 26 afiixed to the member 14. This holds the handle 24 inthat position, it further precludes the operator from moving the handlebeyond that position to an undesirable position, and it still furtherindicates to the operator that the pin is in the released or unlatchedposition of FIG. 5 which provides the articular relationship in the liftmeans 11, when such is desired.

It will therefore be understood that the link 16 can be released fromthe member 14 by means of rotation of the pin 21. Such release willpermit the link 16 to move from the solid line position of FIG. 4 to thesolid line position of FIG. 5 and even to the dot-dash line position ofFIG. 5, all while the draft arm 10 pivots upwardly with respect to itspivotal attachment to the tractor.

The pin 21 has a fiat surface 27 which engages a hook 28 on the end ofthe link 16. This relationship between the pin and the hook serves tolimit the rotation of the pin 21 to its fully latched position, asdesired. Further, when the pin 21 is rotated counter-clockwise as viewedin FIG. 4, the pin portion 29 will engage the angled surface 21 on thelink 16 to cam the link 16 upwardly to the solid line FIG. 5 positionand thereby assure that the link 16 will not be on dead centerrelationship with respect to the member 14.

FIG. 2 shows a pin holding member 32, which may be a spring type washer,disposed between the pin 21 and the member 14 to yieldably restrain thepin against rotation. Therefore the pin will remain in its selected setposition until the operator forcibly moves the pin. The pin willtherefore not move accidentally.

Of course it is shown that the latching pin 21 is spaced away from thefulcrum or pivot pin 17 connecting the members 14 and 16. Further, thearrangement with the arcuate surfaces 22 and 23, and with the surfaces27 and 28, the pin 21 is easily made snug with respect to the link 16 sothat there will be only a minimum of movement, if any at all, when thesupport is placed in the latched position. This provides for snuglatching, and it precludes accidental release of the parts from thelatched position. It of course also prevents wear of the parts sincethey are not free to impact one upon the other as they are held in snugrelationship.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that certain changes can be made in theembodiment, and the invention should therefore be determined by thescope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tractor draft arm support convertible between a rigid connectionand an articular connection for respective fixed and floating connectionof an implement to a tractor,

the combination comprising a pivotal draft arm for up and down movement,support means including a link pivotally connected to said draft arm andbeing pivotally connected to the remainder of said support means, a pinrotatably mounted on said lift means on an axis spaced from the axis ofthe pivotal connection between said link and said remainder of saidsupport means being selectively free of said link, said pin and saidlink respectively having mating surfaces disposed in latched abutmentwhen said link is in one pivoted position and said pin is in one rotatedposition for effecting said fixed connection, and said mating surfacesbeing disposed in uniatched relation when said pin is in another rotatedposition, and means on said pin for rotating said pin.

2. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said pin is rotatably mountedon said remainder of said support means and has a relieved portion onone side thereof and spaced from said link a distance sufiicient to havesaid link pivot free of and past said link when said pin is in saidanother rotated position.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said mating surfaces extendinto the path of rotation of said pin and secure said pin from rotatingin one direction of pin rotation while permitting said pin to rotateonly in the other direction of pin rotation.

4. The subject matter of claim 2, wherein said pin relieved portion is aflat surface and wherein said link has a hook extending along said flatsurface and into the path of the remainder of said pin to be cammed awayfrom and by said pin upon rotation of said pin from said one position tosaid another position and thereby pivot said link off dead-center withrespect to said remainder of said support means and insure effecting theposition of articular connection,

5. The subject matter of claim 1, wherein said mating surfaces are botharcuate and disposed in abutment upon rotation of said pin for snuglatching relation between said surfaces.

6. The subject matter of claim 1, including means operatively connectedto said pin for yieldably restraining rotation of said pin and therebyassure maintaining said support against accidental release from eitherselected position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,491,637 4/1924 Schrum 280-4741,655,351 1/1928 Altgelt 280474 2,415,968 2/1947 Price 280'474 BENJAMINHERSH, Primary Examiner.

J. SIEGEL, Assistant Examiner.

e UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,380,759 April 30, 1558 Roger F. Engelmann It is certified that errorappears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Eli Column 4 line 5 "lift" should read support ling 7 "means" shouldread means and Signed and sealed this 9th day of September 1969.

Ailfiefiting Officer Commissioner of Patents

1. A TRACTOR DRAFT ARM SUPPORT CONVERTIBLE BETWEEN A RIGID CONNECTIONAND AN ARTICULAR CONNECTION FOR RESPECTIVE FIXED AND FLOATING CONNECTIONOF AN IMPLEMENT TO A TRACTOR, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PIVOTAL DRAFTARM FOR UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT, SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING A LINK PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID DRAFT ARM AND BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THEREMAINDER OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A PIN ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID LIFTMEANS ON AN AXIS SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEENSAID LINK AND SAID REMAINDER OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS BEING SELECTIVELYFREE OF SAID LINK, SAID PIN AND SAID LINK RESPECTIVELY HAV-